Uber Of X: Truxx Is The Uber Of Moving

Moving large items can be one of the more stressful events in life. Whether it’s time to move into a new apartment or pick up a new toilet at a home improvement store, there are many large items that just do not fit into every car.

And sometimes people don’t realize an item won’t fit into their car until they’re already at the store with the purchased item.

From coordinating friends to help out to borrowing multiple vehicles, there are a multitude of moving parts that need to be managed. When one of these variables falls out of place, the whole operation can be out of whack. While there are many moving companies out there that will help with the moving process between homes, there hasn’t been an offering to come along with an instant on-demand aspect until now.

Truxx was founded as an in-between option for either last minute or planned-ahead moves. Its mobile app allows users to order a truck or van on demand to help move any item. We sat down with Truxx’s Founder and CEO, Carlos Suarez, to learn more about what inspired him to develop this company and how Truxx is helping the middle market of moving.

PYMNTS: In your own words, what is Truxx about?

CS: Truxx is a truck-sharing service. By using our free mobile app, we are able to pair pickup and van drivers with folks who need to make local moves of large items that don’t fit in their cars. We like to say it’s like always having a buddy with a truck. We are also expanding into retail partnerships as a “last mile” service. By promoting and offering in-store access to the Truxx service, retailers drive sales by conveniently solving a problem for customers for no additional cost.

PYMNTS: What’s the story behind how Truxx started?

CS: I bought a large TV that I thought would fit in my car. After many attempts to get the TV into my hatchback, I realized I was wrong. Frustrated, I looked around the parking lot and couldn’t help [noticing] the number of pickups and wished I could just pay one of the owners to help me out. As a designer, I kept contemplating the problem I had with my TV purchase until Truxx was born.

PYMNTS: How does the pricing model work, and how do Truxx’s drivers get paid?

CS: We have three offerings: TruxxMe, TruxxHelp and TruxxRetail. TruxxMe is driver-only. Users load and unload the truck. TruxxHelp is where the driver assists the user with the load and unload. TruxxRetail is for pickups at a partner retail location. TruxxMe: $39 for the first 30 minutes and $25 for each additional 30 minutes. TruxxHelp: $39 for the first 30 minutes an $35 for each additional 30 minutes. TruxxRetail varies. We have a 70/30 split with drivers, and they take all gratuity and, of course, are fully reimbursed of tolls or any other related fees.

PYMNTS: Who does Truxx see as its competition, if any, and why?

CS: None on the East Coast; however, across the U.S., there’s GoShare and Dolly.

PYMNTS: Since its inception, how much has Truxx grown year over year? Does it have any future projections for where it hopes to grow within the next few years?

CS: Truxx has grown over 100 percent year over year, and we anticipate continued triple digit growth going forward. The truck-sharing space is an undefined, emerging market. We hope to grow the Truxx brand to a national scale.

PYMNTS: How many rounds of funding has Truxx received (if any)?

CS: We have received seed level funding, but we are currently in a number of investor discussions.

PYMNTS: What does the term “Uber of X” meant to you, and how does Truxx fit that mold?

CS: That’s easy: The Uber of X is a shared service that leverages unused capital to provide a community service. In our case, it’s the significant number of pickups and vans that sit idle. We want to put that unused capital to use to the economic benefit of the owners. Truxx is a great example. We often say we are the Uber of trucks, and it’s true.

PYMNTS: As most startups have their fair share of hiccups, can you share a few lessons-learned anecdotes?

CS: Moving is full of logistics, and whenever you have logistics, you have potential for things to break down. We pride ourselves on delivering world-class customer service, but it’s a lot of hard work. However, through it all, we’ve taken what we’ve learned and have focused on systematizing the technology and delivering a fantastic customer experience. We continue to improve our processes and are getting better at delivering them at scale.

PYMNTS: What are Truxx’s 2017 goals?

CS: Continue to develop TruxxRetail. Also, launch Truxx in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Louisville.